Flesh And Bone
by Black Thorned Rose
Summary: A horror movie junky, Lenore's favorite holiday is All Hallow's Eve. Her holiday this year, though, seems to be falling apart. When she stumbles into a world through a pumpkin door, will her life be changed by a skeleton crowned the Pumpkin King? R & R.
1. October 24th: Sunlight

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Nightmare Before Christmas, no matter how much I wish to take over Tim Burton's life...however, the plot and a few unique characters and settings are my original work!

* * *

"Ah!" Lifting a pricked finger, a young woman known as Lenore placed her slender finger in her mouth, frustrated. From the knee down she was surrounded by acres of a pumpkin patch, now sporting scrapes and pricks from their leaves and stems. It had been four hours now, and still she hadn't found the pumpkin to her liking.

"Have you picked one yet?" Lenore looked up, finger still placed in her mouth.

"No! None of these are good!" She shouted, mumbling with her digit being encased with saliva to heal the pain.

"Ugh." Her friend sighed, slumping back down on a plastic patio chair. Helen had now since had enough of Lenore's pet peeves about Halloween, from picking good, honest horror movies down to finding the perfect bag of assorted sugary goodness. Looking at the prick, Lenore was satisfied with her work on it, continuing to search the extensive array of pumpkins. Lifting up her flowing black skirt, she continued stepping over patches of orange vegetables, unbalanced on her black lace-up boots.

"Would ya hurry it up! Alan expects us to help with the invitations _sometime_ today!"

"Okay, okay! Keep your eyeliner dry, crybaby!" Lenore shouted, leaving Helen to pout, crossing her arms over a fish net shawl, beneath a black shirt displaying cold, yellow wolf eyes.

"Aha!" Helen looked up, hearing a good sound from Lenore's mouth.

"Found it?"

"No, I found the skeleton charm I lost from my bracelet last Halloween!"

"UGH!" Helen groaned. At this rate, it would be Halloween when Lenore picked a pumpkin.

* * *

"What took you so long?" A scrawny, tall awkward boy of fifteen looked down at the two girls who entered, he perched atop a ladder, decorating the ceiling with some rubber bats.

"Little miss Lenore the Pumpkin Queen over here happened." Helen gestured to Lenore, looking at her with a glazed look in her blue eyes.

"Fine, just blame me for all your problems." Lenore retorted, picking up a bag of spider-webs and laying them about the railing of a small staircase. Helen just sighed, plopping down in a chair and dragging over black invitations, beginning to write with an orange jell pen.

"You inviting Annabell this year?"

"Yes." The boy, Alan, replied, struggling with some tacks.

"What! After the fiasco of the last masquerade!"

"So she dressed in something less flattering..." Alan spoke, tacks in his teeth, sighing as he finally pushed one through to the wall.

"She put on a mask of you, with circulating blood!" Helen exclaimed. Lenore just rolled her eyes, placing fake spiders on the web just so. Everyone knew Annabell merely had played a joke, knowing Alan was a horror movie junky almost as much as Lenore, and thought the mask would be amusing. Having a crush on Alan always provoked those actions too. But no, Helen had to go and be a bitch about it, taking the plastic ax out of someone's head next to her and chucking it at Annabell, calling her a sick, twisted psycho.

"Just send the invitation." Alan sighed, climbing down the ladder, sighing in relief when his feet touched the ground. Lenore looked to her friend, he dressed in tight blue jeans, the studded belt making the denim follow his flattering figure even more. He wore a sleeveless Black Sabbath shirt, jean jacket over it with a patch that read "Of Fangs and Scary Things" on the back. Lenore sighed, always wishing that Alan looked at her the same way she looked to him. But no, her black skirt and tight-fitting black bodice shirt wasn't all that attractive to him. Shrugging matters off her mind, Lenore returned to the Halloween madness she always got.

"Lenore, did you get those tombstones I wanted?"

"Yep. I'll go get them out of Helen's car." Placing one last spider on the webbing, she exited Alan's large house, entering the frigid October air. Above her shone an almost full moon, bearing the imminent predication of a full moon on Halloween. Sighing, Lenore watched as her breath crystallized before her. All Hallow's Eve was her favorite time of year, full of darkened mystery and ancient lore. It was her frightening Christmas, her one time a year when she, quote un-quote, "fit in". Opening the door to the beat up station wagon, Lenore grabbed the plastic tombstones, reading the classic "R.I.P.". Turning, she kicked the door shut.

"CRAWW!"

"Huh?" Lenore looked up, met with black feathers and a blur. Struggling, she felt the tombstones lift from her hand. Vision finally clearing, she caught sight of a raven making off with the tombstones in its claws.

_October 24th...To Be Continued_


	2. October 24th: Moonlight

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Nightmare Before Christmas, no matter how much I wish to take over Tim Burton's life...however, the plot and a few unique characters and settings are my original work!

* * *

"Stupid bird." Brush scraped at her long legs, Lenore cursing the bird under her breath. Moonlight shone through the gnarled branches, illuminating the tiny forest path. Flicking away a dead leaf from her long cerulean hair, she continued on her way, not daunted by the eerie sounds the wind made against the trees, or the sudden snap of a twig.

"I have school tomorrow...ugh, if I wasn't all for animal rights, I'd so shoot you right now." Lenore glared at the raven, hovering in the distance. The moonlight reflected off its gleaming emerald eyes, displaying the decorative tombstones still clutched in its talons.

"Whoa!" Lenore fell, face first into the cold earth. Coughing out dirt, she tucked a strand of blue hair behind her ear, massaging a scrape that a stray branch had swiped across her palm. Kneeling up, she cursed the tree root that had tripped her, ripping it up as she stood once more.

"CRA..RAWW..KRAW..." The raven seemed to chuckle, flying effortlessly through the expanse of trees.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Lenore growled, stomping through the forest.

Emerging into a clearing, Lenore crouched down in some underbrush, sure the raven did not know she was behind him. Cracking her knuckles in a nasty old habit, she leapt for the tree branch, hands outstretched to grab the tombstones. The raven easily flew, cackling as the branch smacked Lenore in the jaw, leaving her to fall to the ground with a thunk, crimson blood seeping from her nose. Wiping away the blood with her hand, Lenore stumbled up, massaging her bruised jaw. Rolling her mouth, she ached all over. Her knee caps were bruised from her fall, palm scraped by a branch, and now her jaw might as well be broken and her nose be a running faucet for vampires. Glaring at the raven, now silently perched on a branch, Lenore slowly bent down. Grasping a rock in her hand, she sprung up, throwing it at the raven.

"CRAWWW!" The bird dropped the tombstones, flying off into the depths of the shadows cast by the trees.

"Yes!" Lenore cheered, jogging over to the landing place of the tombstones.

"Ya know, I feel kinda sorry for that raven..." Lenore muttered, holding the tombstones to her chest. As she stood, however, she was distracted by an image on the tree before her.

"Now that is the single most perfect pumpkin image I have ever seen." Lenore breathed, turning her head in curiosity. A pumpkin was displayed on the trunk of an odd, grey tree before her, as though the pumpkin itself were a door. Just becoming aware of her surroundings, Lenore glanced around, spotting the strange trees everywhere. One had a Christmas tree, while another bore a turkey, or a decorative Easter Egg.

"It's the Christian Holidays..." Lenore whispered to herself, rotating to view all the trees before her.

"Lenore!"

"Lenore, where are you?"

"Over here!" Lenore answered to the calling voices of Alan and Helen. It was then she wondered how long she had been gone. By the position of the moon and the brightness of the stars, it couldn't have been more than an hour or so.

"Where? We can't see you!" Lenore sighed, beginning to jog towards her friends. Turning back, she glanced to each tree once more, hazel eyes lingering on the image of a pumpkin.

"Lenore!"

"What! I'm comin', god!" Lenore sprinted away, careful of her footing this time.

* * *

"I thought you were only getting the tombstones, not digging up the graves!" Alan spoke sarcastically, worry apparent on his face. Lenore stopped, catching her breath before the two.

"Oh, calm down. A raven took it, and I had to chase him down." Alan and Helen exchanged puzzled looks.

"Ya know, a raven? Black bird, bad temper?" Lenore flapped her arms up and down, cawing like a raven.

"Just gimme those." Helen grunted, taking the tombstones from Lenore. She looked to Helen in surprised, noticing how moody she was lately.

"What's with you?"

"What's with me? What's with you! Going off for practically the whole night!" Helen fumed.

"The whole night? That's impossi-" Alan placed his head in his hands, relieved that Lenore was safe, but at the same time, agitated. Pointing to the sky, Lenore looked. A thin white line spread across the horizon, displaying the coming dawn.

"But...I..."

"Lenore, just shut up. Your little Halloween fancies are going to far. We almost called the police to look for you!" Helen stalked off, slamming the door to Alan's house. Lenore turned to her remaining friend, approaching him slightly.

"Listen...I'm really sorry." Alan just shook his head, beginning to walk away slowly. Beginning to climb his front steps, he turned, looking to Lenore with pity.

"School is in three hours. Better get a nap in, oh, and tell your folks you're alive." Closing the door, Lenore looked to her feet. Holding back tears, she began the cold walk home, remembering the ladder to climb into her room was in the back of the shed.

_October 28th...End._


	3. October 25th: Sunlight

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Nightmare Before Christmas, no matter how much I wish to take over Tim Burton's life...however, the plot and a few unique characters and settings are my original work!

* * *

"Where am I?" Lenore felt light-headed, as though a haze clouded her mind. Sitting up, she looked to a pitch-black sky, and the most brilliant full moon she had ever seen. She caught her breath at the sight, basking in its white, unearthly glow. Standing up, she surveyed a strand, curling hill in the midst of the graveyard she stood within.

"Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to see something strange?" Lenore stood up, startled, seeing apparitions appear from within the tombstones.

"Come with us and you will see, this our town of Halloween!" Beyond a gothic style gate, numerous creatures both terrifying and marvelous sang, making Lenore's heart skip a beat.

"This is Halloween! This is Halloween!"

"Pumpkins scream in the dead of night." Falling onto the spikes of the gates, pumpkins seemed to sing along, strange music winding through the chilling town. Where the hell was she?

"This is Halloween, everybody make a scene! Trick-or-treat..."

" 'till the neighbors gonna die of fright!" Spirits entwining around her, staring with curiosity, continued the dark tune. Lenore stumbled back, hitting hard against a stone wall.

* * *

Lenore shot up, a slight dribble of spit glistening at the corner of her lips, painted black with lipstick. The highschool bell rang loudly behind her still, she cursing it under her breath. Students that began leaving the final class of the day sneered. Holding her aching head in her hands, Lenore stared at the engraved graffiti in her desk, ignoring the stares she felt at her back.

"What kinda dream was that? I liked it..." Lenore smiled slightly at that, but as she got up, noticed Helen and Alan staring at her with a frown. Lenore made a slight waving gesture to them, but they just exited. Sighing miserably, she took up her messenger bag, exiting the final class of the day.

* * *

The wind twirled with Lenore's hair, dyed a hypnotizing blue. Wearing nothing but a black tee, the cold air chilled her to the bone, and yet she refused to shiver. Stopping as a red light flashed on the traffic light, she looked down to a puddle at her feet. Reflected in the rippling water was her pale face, hazel eyes accented by black eyeliner, lips lost to shadows. Sighing, she stepped in the puddle, distorting her reflection, continuing on her way as it was safe to cross the street.

As Lenore turned, approaching her quaint residential street, she began to hear voices surged up in protest. Turning, she saw hordes of people circling the town square, in the center the raised gazebo. Quirking an eyebrow and not planning on doing her Geometry homework anyway, Lenore crossed to the other side, approaching this strange protest.

---

"No more of our kids being shrouded in mischief!"

"No more evil!"

"Stop this horror nonsense!" Voices shouted altogether, creating an angry swarm of negative shouts. Looking around, Lenore spotted Helen, looking quite cross, in the distance. Sprinting towards her, she looked to the gazebo where Helen's attention was directed.

"What's going on?" Helen glared at Lenore, but just sighed in agitation, returning her attention to the gazebo.

"They want to ban Halloween celebrations this year."

"What!" Lenore's heart was shattered. How could this be! Her one night a year she could unleash her true self, and now her damned little town was going to snatch that away! Turning back to ask Helen more about this, Lenore found she was no longer there. Sighing, she pushed through the crowd, trying to get a closer look.

"People, people! Attention, please!" Lenore looked up, seeing the Town Mayor inside the raised gazebo, surrounded by the town's selectmen.

"We understand your concerns, as do we! This monstrosity of a holiday must be stopped!" Cheers ran through the crowd, while only chills ran through Lenore.

"Our children mock the devil himself! They watch these...these horror movies, putting vile ideas in their vulnerable minds! We must protect them from the world's mistake!"

"Vulnerable!" Lenore shouted. Immediately, a hundred eyes were pinpointed on her. Taking off her messenger bag, she climbed onto the gazebo, hearing the crowd and the mayor catch their breath.

"Halloween is a wonderful time of year, full of mystery! For once, we don't have to live in paranoia! On Hallow's Eve, we all expect to be scared! Having our heart skip a beat or two won't kill us!"

"Good citizens! This child is a perfect example! Would you want your children to turn into her? One who dresses up like...like a monster, even not on this horrid excuse for a holiday!"

"NO!" The crowd roared. Lenore shivered in anger, gritting her teeth.

"What's really so bad about Halloween, people?"

"It teaches our kids evils!" One shouted.

"Halloween does? Excuse me, but if you think that, re-evaluate your fuckin' parental skills!" The crowd caught their breath, glaring at Lenore. An inextinguishable flame was burning within her, and she just wanted to slap everyone present.

"Child! Whether tempest sent, or tempest tossed, repent thee! Get out of here!" The mayor screamed, prodding Lenore to go.

"You bastard! Manipulating the town like this!" Lenore shrieked, trying to counter his persistent shoving.

"Nevermore!" The numerous protestors turned at the sound. Time seemed to freeze, and the wind more chilling. Perched upon the spire of the black iron fencing of the courtyard was the raven.

"Nevermore!" It shrieked. Lenore looking to him in awe, she smirked maliciously.

"Nevermore!" She cried, the bird following her lead.

"Evil!" The mayor screamed, withdrawing his hands as though her touch made him burn.

"Nevermore!" Lenore heard another voice join her, though she did not recognize it as Helen or Alan.

"**NEVERMORE!"** The air echoed with the shrieks of man and bird, sending venomous chills down the ears of all. For what felt like an hour, Lenore stood there, breathing slowly to control her temper. Everyone was in a shocked stupor. When the world returned, the mayor's face became red with anger. Extending his hand, he screamed:

"OFFICERS! ARREST HER!"

"Uh-oh." Lenore spoke, jumping from the Gazebo. As she ran, five officers were on her tail.

"Shit, shit!" She cursed, a car screeching to a halt as she ran into the street. The officers swerved around the now stopped car.

"CRAWWW!" The raven flew past Lenore, feather clipping the tip of her ear. Behind her, she heard frantic shrieks of the raven, and surprised yelps of the officers. Smirking, Lenore sprinted faster, heading for the forest.

_October 25th...To Be Continued_


End file.
